New Delhi : Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant has called for a dedicated cadre of specialised defence counsel to represent children in conflict with the law throughout the juvenile justice process, from apprehension at a police station to final orders and rehabilitation.
He made the remarks while inaugurating a two-day National Annual Stakeholders Consultation in New Delhi on the completion of ten years of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Justice Surya Kant emphasised that the juvenile justice system must focus on rehabilitation and restoration rather than punishment, with institutional confinement treated as a measure of last resort.
The CJI also highlighted gaps in the implementation of legal aid services, noting that many Juvenile Justice Boards still lack legal aid clinics under the National Legal Services Authority’s Child-Friendly Legal Services Scheme, 2024. He further stressed the need to fill vacancies of Probation Officers to ensure the timely preparation of comprehensive Social Investigation Reports, which are essential for assessing a child’s circumstances and rehabilitation needs.
